Round extractor for caseless firearm

ABSTRACT

An extractor for removing a round of caseless ammunition from the chamber of a firearm capable of firing caseless ammunition. The extractor comprises an elongated spring steel member having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers which are adapted to embrace the molded propellant of a round of caseless ammunition. The elongated spring steel member is slidably supported by a guide block mounted on the exterior of the firearm and the spring steel member can be axially projected into a position where it grips the round of caseless ammunition and then moved back to withdraw the round from the chamber of the firearm. The spaced fingers of the extractor are formed with beveled edges which permit the extractor to slidably engage the molded propellant of the caseless round when the extractor is being moved forward but include a sharp edge which bites into the caseless round to form a means for withdrawing the round from the chamber when the extractor is pulled back. The firearm has an opening which is closed by a pivotally mounted door and the extractor is arranged to move the door to an open position and grip the caseless round of ammunition, when the extractor is projected into the chamber to grip the round of ammunition. The door is spring biased toward a closed position, and when the extractor is moved back to the position outside of the chamber, the door is returned to the closed position.

United States Patent Roy D. Plumer Santa Barbara; v Harold Shrout, Goleta, both of Calif. [2]] Appl. No. 843,097

[72] Inventors [22] Filed July 18,1969

[45] Patented Dec. 21,1971

[7 3 Assignee General Motors Corporation Detroit, Mich.

[54] ROUND EXTRACTOR FOR CASELESS FIREARM Primary Examiner- Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan Al!0rneysE. W. Christen, C. R. Meland and Albert F. Duke ABSTRACT: An extractor for removing a round of caseless ammunition from the chamber of a firearm capable of firing caseless ammunition. The extractor comprises an elongated spring steel member having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers which are adapted to embrace the molded propellant of a roundof caseless ammunition. The elongated spring steel member is slidably supported by a guide block mounted on the exterior of the firearm and the spring steel member can be axially projected into a position where it grips the round of caseless ammunition and then moved back to withdraw the round from the chamber of the firearm. The spaced fingers of the extractor are formed with beveled edges which permit the extractor to slidably engage the molded propellant of the caseless round when the extractor is being moved forward but include a sharp edge which bites into the caseless round to form a means for withdrawing the round from the chamber when the extractor is pulled back. The firearm has an opening which is closed by a pivotally mounted door and the extractor is arranged to move the door to an open position and grip the caseless round of ammunition. when the extractor is projected into the chamber to grip the round of ammunition. The door is spring biased toward a closed position, and when the extractor is moved back to the position outside of the chamber, the door is returned to the closed position;

PATENTEDBEQI I911 3328277 I N VENTORS Hamid 52zz'om ATTORNEY ROUND EXTRACTOR FOR CASELESS FIREARM The invention herein described was made in the course of work under a contract or subcontract thereunder with the Department of the Army. 1

This invention relates to an extractor for removing a round of caseless ammunition from a firearm which isadapted to fire ammunition of the caseless type. I I

Caseless ammunition, as the name implies, is a type of ammunition which does not utilize a metal case normally formed of brass material which contains the powder charge for propelling the bullet of a cartridge. In caseless ammunition the powder charge or propellant is'molded to a cylindrical shape and is molded to the bullet or projectile which is propelled when the powder charge is ignited.

Since caseless ammunition does not have a case, the firearm that fires this type of ammunition does not need an extractor for removing the cartridge case from the chamber each time the firearm is fired. n the other hand, should a round of caseless ammunition misfire or should it otherwise be desired to clear a round from the firearm, some means must be provided for extracting the round from the chamber of the firearm and removing the round from the firearm.

It, accordingly, is one of the objects of this invention to provide a cartridge extractor for caseless ammunition which is capable of being projected into aposition where it can grab the molded propellant of a round of caseless ammunition and then withdraw this round from the chamber when the extractor is moved in a direction to withdraw the round. In carrying this object forward, an elongated member, which is preferably formed of a thin strip of resilient material such as spring steel, is provided which is slidably supported by the firearm and which has a forked end providing a pair of spring fingers which embrace the propellant of the round of caseless ammunition when the forked end is moved into engagement with the round. The spring fingers have a beveled edge which permits the fingers to slide on the molded propellant when the extractor is being moved to embrace the molded propellant. The fingers forming the forked end are further formed with a sharp edge such that when the extractor is moved to remove the cartridge the edge bites into the molded propellant so as to firmly grip the cartridge and therefore remove the cartridge from the chamber of the firearm.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cartridge extractor of the type described and to further provide a caseless firearm of the type wherein a substantial portion of the molded propellant of the cartridge is exposed when the bolt is retracted so, that the forked end of the extractor can readily grip the round of ammunition when extraction is desired.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an extraction arrangement of the type described and to provide an arrangement wherein movement of the extractor towards a position to engage the caseless cartridge operates to simultaneously open a spring biased door closing an opening in the firearm and to provide an arrangement wherein the door automatically closes when the extractor is moved to a retracted position to remove the cartridge from the firearm. In carrying this object forward, the extractor when removing the cartridge from the firearm preferably moves in a path such that the cartridge engages a wall that forms one side of the opening that is closed by the pivotally mounted door so that the cartridge is dislodged from the forked end of the extractor when the extractor is moved to a fully withdrawn position.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a riflewhich has an extractor made in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the extractor in a position prior to its being projected into the rifle.

FIG. 3 is a view which is identical with FIG. 2 but illustrating the extractor in a projected position where it has grasped a round of caseless ammunition prior to withdrawing the round from the gun.

FIG. 4 is a view partly in section looking in the direction of arrows 44 shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a firearm is illustrated which is a rifle having a receiver body member 10. A stock 12 is secured to the body member 10 as is a trigger and grip assembly 14. A magazine 15 is provided for feeding ammunition to the receiver.

The extractor of this invention is generally designated by reference numeral 16 which is slidably supported by a guide block 18, both of which are described in detail hereinafter.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it is seen that the body member 10 includes side rails 22 and 24 providing a bolt track for slidably supporting a bolt carrier (not illustrated) which carries the bolt 28. The bolt 28 has a chamber 30 circumscribed by an annular end wall 32. The bolt is preferably gas operated by means which form no part of this invention, and the bolt contains an axially movable firing pin which is not illustrated. The bolt is illustrated in a retracted position in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The rifle further includes a barrel 34 which is supported by a barrel extension designated by reference numeral 36.

An obturator 38 is provided which is supported by one end of the barrel 34 and which has a central opening 40 for receiving a round of caseless ammunition. generally designated by reference numeral 42. The round or cartridge 42 is formed of a molded propellant or powder charge designated by reference numeral 44 which is molded to a bullet or projectile 46. The molded powder charge 44 is cylindrical in shape and carries the usual primer at one end which is not illustrated.

When the bolt 28 is moved to a closed position, the cylindrical end face 32 engages a wall 38A of the obturator and the explosion of the propellant 44 forces the obturator against the bolt to seal ofi leakage of gas when the cartridge is fired. The

bolt 28 has alternate teeth and notches disposed about the portion 48 which match with alternate teeth and notches formed in the portion 50 of the barrel extension. These teeth and notches have not been illustrated and form no part of the present invention.

The guide block 18 for the extractor isfastened to wall 24 by screws 54. The guide block has a slot which is not illustrated that slidably receives the extractor 16. The open end of the slot or channel formed in the guide block 18 is closed by a plate 58 which is held in place by the screws 54.

The extractor 16 is formed as a thin elongated strip of spring steel material. One end of the spring steel extractor I6 is secured to a finger piece 60 which is slidably supported on a rod 62. The finger piece 60 has an opening, not illustrated, receiving the rod 62 and a compression spring 64 is disposed about the rod 62 and between the guide block and the finger piece. It is seen that the rod 62 is supported between the guide block 18 and a part 66 fixed to the body ofthe rifle.

The rifle has a pivotally mounted door or cover 68 which is pivoted to the body of the rifle by integral hinges 69 disposed about a hinge pin 71 secured to the body of the rifle. The door is spring biased towards a closed position by a spring 70. The door 68, in the position shown in FIG. 2, closes an opening 72 formed in the side of the rifle receiver.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 4, it is seen that the end of the spring steel extractor 16 is generally forked shaped providing a pair of spring fingers 16A and 168. As also seen in FIG. 4, these spring fingers have a beveled edge 16C terminating in an edge 16D. lt isseen that the spring fingers 16A and 16B are bent inwardly from the body portion of extractor 16.- The spring fingers are spaced apart a distance such that when the extractor moves to a position to engage the molded propellant 44 of the cartridge, the spring fingers are slightly sprung apart to tightly engage the cartridge, but due to the provision of the beveled edge 16C it is possible for the spring fingers to slide on the surface of the propellant in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

When the extractor is not in use it takes the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 where it is spring biased to a retracted position by the spring 64. It is pointed out, that in this position the end of the spring fingers engage one edge 68A of the cover 68 and the arrangement is such that if the extractor shown in FIG. 2 is moved toward the position shown in FIG. 3, the extractor will forcibly pry open the door 68 and move it to the open position shown in FIG. 3. The edge 68A can be spaced slightly I from the body of the rifle to facilitate the opening of the cover 68 by movement of the extractor 16.

When a user of the rifle desires to extract a cartridge to clear the round from the rifle, the bolt 28 is moved to a retracted position as shown in FIG. 2. The user then pushes the spring steel extractor from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3 by moving the finger piece 60. It is pointed out that the slot in the guide block 18 is not parallel to the wall 24 but rather tapers toward wall 24 and therefore guides the spring steel extractor 16 along a path which is generally defined by its position shown in FIG. 3. As the forked end of the extractor 16 engages the cylindrical propellant 44, the two spring fingers 16A and 16B straddle the cylindrical cartridge and due to the provision of the beveled face 16C, the spring fingers can slide axially along the cylindrical propellant 44 until the finger piece 60 engages the guide block 18 as shown in FIG. 3.

In order to retract or remove the cartridge from the rifle, the finger piece 60 is now moved from the FIG. 3 position back to the FIG. 2 position and the cartridge is withdrawn from the rifle. During this movement the edge 16D of the forked end of the extractor bites into the molded propellant 44 so that the cartridge is positively withdrawn from the chamber of the rifle. As the extractor 16 is moved from the FIG. 3 position to the FIG. 1 position, the end 44A of the cartridge will engage the wall 24A which defines in part the opening that is closed by the door 68. When the end 44A of the cartridge engages the wall 24A of the rifle, the cartridge will pivot out through the opening 72. If the extractor is moved rapidly, the cartridge will be dislodged from the extractor and thrown out of the rifle after engaging wall 24A. If the extractor is moved slowly, the cartridge will be held by the spring fingers and can be manually removed therefrom.

After the cartridge is removed from the extractor 16, the spring 70 will close the door 68. This, of course, can occur in one rapid motion of the extractor from the FIG. 3 to the FIG. 1 position, that is, as soon as the bullet or cartridge is removed from the extractor, the door immediately is reclosed by the spring 70.

It should be pointed out that the rifle is designed such that a substantial portion of the cylindrical propellant 44 is exposed when the bolt 28 is retracted so that there is sufficient propellant available to be grasped by the extractor 16. This is accomplished in this rifle because with the bolt in the closed position, the propellant 44 is located within the chamber 30 formed in the bolt 28 and a sufficient propellant protrudes from the obturator 38 to be grasped by the extractor when it is desired to extract a misfired round, or for another reason, to extract the cartridge. 7

It is further pointed out that in contrast to the type of firearm or rifle that is adapted to fire a case type of ammunition, the cartridge is disposed entirely within the chamber except for a rim and an extraction groove which must be provided on the case for extracting the case after the cartridge is fired.

Although the extractor is described as being manually operable by way of the finger piece 60, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the extractor could be operated by the rifle by connecting it to a charging device on the rifle through a suitable mechanical connection. With such an ar rangement the cartridge would be extracted automatically.

It is noted that the extractor is so located on the rifle that the cartridge can be extracted without breaking open the ac tion ofthe rifle.

' It has been previously pointed out that the cartridge pivots when the end 44A of the cartridge engages the wall 24A defining part of the opening 72 as the cartridge is being extracted. When this pivoting occurs, the cartridge pivots with respect to the spring fingers 16A and 16B and the cartridge will eventually lie across the cover or door 68. During this pivoting the end wall 24A acts as a pivot fulcrum for the cartridge. As previously explained, if the extractor is pulled back rapidly the cartridge will be dislodged therefrom.

spaced spring fingers, meanslocated on the exterior of said body member for supporting said extractor for axial movement in opposite directions, said last-named means including means located between the ends of said extractor for guiding said forked end of said extractor into said firearm and into a position wherein said spring fingers engage a cartridge therebetween, said firearm having an opening through which said forked end of said extractor passes when said extractor is moved to a position to engage a cartridge, said spring fingers having an internal face which is so shaped that said spring fingers slide on a cartridge when moved in one direction and bite into a cartridge when said spring fingers are moved in an opposite direction whereby a cartridge can be removed from said firearm when said extractor is reciprocated.

2. An extracting arrangement for removing a cartridge from a firearm which is capable of firing caseless ammunition comprising, a body member for said firearm, an opening formed in one side of said firearm, a cover member movable between a closed position wherein it closes said opening and an open position, resilient means normally biasing said cover member to a closed position, and an extractor, said extractor comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, means supporting said extractor for axial sliding movement at the exterior of said firearm, said last-named means positioning the forked end of said extractor in engagement with said cover and arranged such that when said extractor is moved in a first direction it pries open said cover and then moves into gripping engagement with a cartridge disposed within said firearm, said spring fingers including means for tightly gripping said cartridge when said fingers are moved to a position to embrace the molded propellant of said cartridge, said extractor when moved in an opposite direction withdrawing a cartridge through said opening and permitting said door to reclose.

3. An extracting arrangement for removing a cartridge from the chamber of a firearm comprising, an extractor comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, support means for supporting said extractor for axial sliding movement in a forward direction wherein said spring fingers embrace a cartridge located within said chamber and in opposite direction wherein a cartridge is pulled out of said chamber, said spring fingers including means for tightly gripping said cartridge when said extractor is moved in its full forward direction, and abutment means located in the return path of a cartridge as it is being removed from said firearm for dislodging said cartridge from said spring fingers as said extractor is being moved in said opposite direction, said abutment means being provided by the edge of an opening formed in the firearm through which said extractor is projected and returned in removing a cartridge from said chamber.

4. An extracting arrangement for removing a round of caseless ammunition from the chamber of a firearm comprising, an extractor comprising a thin strip of spring steel material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, an opening in the'side of said firearm, a door pivotally mounted to said firearm movable between an open and a closed position, guide block means located on the exterior of said firearm embracing said extractor, said guide block means positioning the forked end of said extractor adjacent one edge of said door whereby when said extractor is moved toward a position to engage the round said extractor pries open said door, said spring fingers including means for gripping the round to thereby remove said round from said firearm when said extractor is moved toward a retracted position, one end of said opening providing abutment means engaging an end of said round as it is being removed by said extractor to dislodge said round from said spring fingers ans through the opening in said firearm,

said door being moved up a closed position by resilient means when said extractor is moved fqlly to its retracted position.

i i l I i 

1. An extracting arrangement for extracting a cartridge of the caseless type from a firearm capable of firing caseless ammunition comprising, a body member for said firearm, an extractor, said extractor comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, means located on the exterior of said body member for supporting said extractor for axial movement in opposite directions, said last-named means including means located between the ends of said extractor for guiding said forked end of said extractor into said firearm and into a position wherein said spring fingers engage a cartridge therebetween, said firearm having an opening through which said forked end of said extractor passes when said extractor is moved to a position to engage a cartridge, said spring fingers having an internal face which is so shaped that said spring fingers slide on a cartridge when moved in one direction and bite into a cartridge when said spring fingers are moved in an opposite direction whereby a cartridge can be removed from said firearm whEn said extractor is reciprocated.
 2. An extracting arrangement for removing a cartridge from a firearm which is capable of firing caseless ammunition comprising, a body member for said firearm, an opening formed in one side of said firearm, a cover member movable between a closed position wherein it closes said opening and an open position, resilient means normally biasing said cover member to a closed position, and an extractor, said extractor comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, means supporting said extractor for axial sliding movement at the exterior of said firearm, said last-named means positioning the forked end of said extractor in engagement with said cover and arranged such that when said extractor is moved in a first direction it pries open said cover and then moves into gripping engagement with a cartridge disposed within said firearm, said spring fingers including means for tightly gripping said cartridge when said fingers are moved to a position to embrace the molded propellant of said cartridge, said extractor when moved in an opposite direction withdrawing a cartridge through said opening and permitting said door to reclose.
 3. An extracting arrangement for removing a cartridge from the chamber of a firearm comprising, an extractor comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, support means for supporting said extractor for axial sliding movement in a forward direction wherein said spring fingers embrace a cartridge located within said chamber and in opposite direction wherein a cartridge is pulled out of said chamber, said spring fingers including means for tightly gripping said cartridge when said extractor is moved in its full forward direction, and abutment means located in the return path of a cartridge as it is being removed from said firearm for dislodging said cartridge from said spring fingers as said extractor is being moved in said opposite direction, said abutment means being provided by the edge of an opening formed in the firearm through which said extractor is projected and returned in removing a cartridge from said chamber.
 4. An extracting arrangement for removing a round of caseless ammunition from the chamber of a firearm comprising, an extractor comprising a thin strip of spring steel material having a forked end providing a pair of spaced spring fingers, an opening in the side of said firearm, a door pivotally mounted to said firearm movable between an open and a closed position, guide block means located on the exterior of said firearm embracing said extractor, said guide block means positioning the forked end of said extractor adjacent one edge of said door whereby when said extractor is moved toward a position to engage the round said extractor pries open said door, said spring fingers including means for gripping the round to thereby remove said round from said firearm when said extractor is moved toward a retracted position, one end of said opening providing abutment means engaging an end of said round as it is being removed by said extractor to dislodge said round from said spring fingers ans through the opening in said firearm, said door being moved to a closed position by resilient means when said extractor is moved fully to its retracted position. 